Matthew Jeynes - Goes Way Back
In this age of political compromise, when both left and right-wing parties slide towards the centre, and University students are struggling to maintain their liberal reputation under the crushing weight of private schooling, it is refreshing sometimes to look back at a simpler time - when the establishment consisted of crusty old conservatives, and the youth saw themselves as revolutionaries.
The February 19 1970 edition of Nouse provides just such a moment. We are greeted by an all-new Nouse logo, with the name of the paper bracketed by two very Communist-looking stars. Unfortunately, the socialist message that this conveys lasts about as far as the double-page spread on pages five and six, which is entirely dedicated to advertising careers. The paper turns from a rebellious socialist organisation into a shrine for the intimate workings of capitalism, in about the time it would take to say, ‘I love Adam Smith’.
Occupying pride of place in this printed capitalist utopia is a fantastic advert, encapsulating all that is wrong with advertising in one massive lie. The advert contains a picture of someone wearing a badge on their arm saying ‘I believe in Freedom’, with the caption underneath reading ‘…then become a Chartered Accountant’. Brilliant. Suck in the liberals by appealing to their ideals, then condemn them to a life of mind-numbing pointlessness.
Elsewhere in the edition, there is a report on an event that all of us have at some point considered, briefly, then rejected on the grounds that we would rather not die. I am, of course, referring to swimming in the lake. The two brave/idiotic/drunk/now impotent (delete as applicable) students were doing it to raise money for charity. Although I much prefer the explanation from first-year Christopher Clarke, quoted in the article; “I did it because it was there”. How very profound. If I could track him down to wherever he has ended up, likely to be a facility somewhere, I would shake his hand – wearing gloves of course.
